[montanajoe]

Actually if you read the article carefully what Hale is saying that in hindsight NASA should have never gotten used to the idea that foam falling off the boosters was normal and in the event the shield was damaged they would not be able to do anything. His conversation just reflected the thinking of NASA at the time. After the event he came to the conclusion that the old assumption was wrong and like most here concluded everything must be done in the future to save the craft and crew.

Pretty much learning from mistakes as the airline industry learns from its crashes...

[Forward the Light Brigade]

The American way is to try—not trying, giving up, is un-American. There could have been a way to get them down—or at least had the prayers of a nation help them back. Something should have been attempted—even asking the Russians for help. Pride, PR, and arrogance cost these brave men their lives. Even if they died—they at least tried. Like the people in the burning twin Towers who tried to make parachutes and jump to freedom—didn’t work but a noble attempt.

[sand88]

Hale is saying that in hindsight NASA should have never gotten used to the idea that foam falling off the boosters was normal and in the event the shield was damaged they would not be able to do anything.

They changed the glue formulation for adhering the foam to the external tank. That change was made at the request (pressure?) from the EPA. I know people inside NASA resisted.

with the new formulation, serious problems started.

We have a right to know the name of the person that made the decision to change the glue formulation. That person should be shamed for eternity.

I worked on the Shuttle Flight Control Design team at Honeywell. NASA has become very bureaucratic as is most agencies.

Still it grates me to no end that the history doesn't highlight the fact that evil humans at the EPA are the primary cause of the Columbia disaster.